3.30.2012

Mom-Finds: By Nature Handmade Soaps & Insect Repellent

I often indulge in non-commercial, natural soaps since I treat my bath or shower time as my daily dose of personal pampering even for just ten minutes. There are a handful of brands I've tried and most of them I'm very satisfied with. One of those brands is By Nature.

First time I tried By Nature Handmade Soap was over two years ago. I chanced upon their line of personal care products at theMedela Houseand saw that it's all-natural and safe for babies. I bought several bars to give to my friends who've just given birth then, and for my own kids to use as well. By Nature handmade soap is bigger, and it lasted longer than our regular bath soap, so that was a big plus, considering it costs over a hundred pesos. I really liked it for myself. However, the kids did not like the smell, it was unscented actually -- I guess they're just used to their sweet-smelling body wash.

Fast forward to 2011: I saw By Nature products again at Echo Store and I thought it would make great presents for the holidays. As luck would have it, I too was gifted with their soaps last Christmas! I'm also fortunate to have met the lady behind this wonderful brand. The funny thing is, we are co-parents at our kids' class and she never knew I've tried her products before. We haven't really talked about her products until a few months back when we got to know each other better while waiting for the kids at school.

The beautiful mom of three boys, Darlene surely knows what she wants for herself and for her family, which led to creating only the safest and most natural handmade soap bars, and more!

"BY NATURE Handmade Soaps contain NO chemical preservatives, hardeners, or additives. They are made with food-grade vegetable oils such as coconut oil, palm oil, and olive oil, and are lovingly made using the cold-process method. With this soap-making method, BY NATURE Handmade Soaps are made completely from scratch. No short-cuts or pre-manufactured bases, and you get all the goodness of naturally-formed glycerin."

If you browse through By Nature's website, you will find it difficult to choose what to get. With all the wonderful ingredients that make each soap unique, you'll want to have them all. After asking what my preferences are, and if I have skin problems, Darlene was generous to send me several samples from her line, including a couple of soaps to try.

contains (naturally-formed glycerin) humectant = Humectants draw in moisture from the air, so it leaves your skin soft and moisturized, without the tight feeling

non-drying, mild, and safe even for babies' sensitive skin

can be used on face and body

great for problem skin as well = ideal for those will eczema, dry patches, skin allergies

does not melt quickly, as long as air-dried

Gift Idea : BY NATURE Soap Dish set in handmade paper wrap - by special order (photo from their website)

Among the many variants I've used, here are my favorite By Nature Handmade Soaps (description lifted from their website):

Utter Bliss (100% NATURAL) : With essential oils of thyme, patchouli, cedarwood, and rosemary, this bar smells so invigorating! Your skin will look and feel fresh with every use. Vitamin E and extracts of aloe vera and rosemary are also added

Milkenhoney (100% NATURAL) - Unscented : The perfect soap for those who love anything with milk and honey. The milk makes your skin feel extra soft and supple after every wash, while the honey acts as a natural moisturizer and antibacterial.

Minty Rosemary(96.83% NATURAL) : A soothing and stimulating bar with the uplifting scent of peppermint. The exfoliating benefits of rosemary leaves will give you that unique scrubbing experience. Your skin will feel so cool and refreshed after every shower.

If you decide to try Minty Rosemary, don't be shocked to see black bits on the floor after rinsing -- those are the dried rosemary from the melted soap. My girl caught me after I came out of the shower, saw the "dirt" on the floor, and told me I was still dirty, even after taking a bath!!! LOL!

Another great product that my kids and I love using right now is their Moisturizing Insect Repellent. It not only keeps mosquitos away, but moisturizes our skin too.

Baby Salve ( @ PhP200): An all-around, all-natural skin ointment for babies and adults alike. I rub this on insect bites and all types of skin irritation on my kids and myself, and it instantly soothes the affected portion. Of course, this cannot replace your medicated creams if your skin condition is severe and requires prescriptive ointments.

Lippy Pot Balm ( @PhP 120): I've been having dry, chapped lips of late and this lip balm has been part of my daily "beauty" routine as a lipstick base, and also before bedtime. It's unscented and is very smooth on application.

Get your dose of all-natural goodness for your skin and body with By Nature. With handpicked, quality ingredients in every product, they don't come cheap, but you certainly get what you pay for! If it's good for babies, good to the environment, then it surely is good for everyone to use.

Each winner will receive 7 By Nature items as prize package, valued at over PhP1,000.

Anyone can join, as long as you have a valid Metro Manila delivery address (and an authorized representative if you are not a Metro Manila resident).

Winners will be announced the following week after the draw date, via Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post. If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it!Get instant updates:My Mom-Friday on FacebookFollow me onTwitterAlso on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email.I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. Thank you and do visit again!(Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)